The 54-year-old Kill, who has beaten kidney cancer and suffers from epilepsy, cited medical reasons for the decision. Kill had similar success at Northern Illinois, improving the Huskies to 10-3 in his third season before taking the job at Minnesota.
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While Kill didn’t get Minnesota to a Big Ten title game or a bowl victory, his teams did get several wins that elevated how the program was perceived.
It was announced this morning that Tracy Claeys will be the Gophers’ Interim Head Coach.
Kill worked his way up the many rungs of the coaching ladder with a track record of a program-builder.
Health is of the utmost importance, though, and Kill deserves a great deal of credit for leaving something he loves in order to ensure his long-term future. He decided, on doctor’s advice, to give up his decades-long career of coaching football. “He has held those kids accountable”, Goetz said. This program is on much stronger ground than it was when Kill was first hired, so I don’t see the athletic department having as much trouble finding potential suitors. “I probably wasn’t supposed to be there”, he said. He developed the Gophers into a perennial Big Ten contender and has certainly left his mark in the Big Ten Conference and throughout the entire country. “I think that’s how he would want it, too, and that’s how those guys play”.
“I used to love to sit and read a book for two hours at a time and I’m lucky if I can sit for a half hour and stay focused”, he said.
Kill signed a contract extension in August that increased his pay to $2.5 million per season.
Kill went 29-29 at Minnesota with three bowl appearances, a significant improvement over predecessor Tim Brewster (15-30). With all the health concerns, I’m glad that he’s made this decision for himself.
Toledo head coach Matt Campbell talks to players on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against Massachusetts in Foxborough, Mass., Saturday, October 24, 2015.
Kill took a leave of absence in 2013 to address his condition, spending time with a specialist in Michigan that clearly helped him make progress in dealing with the disorder.
The National Football League also took note of Kill’s rebuilding of the Minnesota program, as six Gophers were selected in the last two NFL Drafts.
Along with Claeys, offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover adds another 16 seasons under Kill.
“You’re so sad, because there’s never going to be another day when you’re going to go out to practice and you’ll have coach Kill behind you”, quarterback Mitch Leidner said. He earned the Big Ten Coach of the Year award last season after leading the Golden Gophers to an 8-5 record.
“Maybe the best credit to him is that they would play like their hair’s on fire, regardless”, Harbaugh said. And he should know everyone will still be pulling for him now as he walks away. The Gophers have struggled a few since then while trying to find a replacement for David Cobb at running back, but they are still 4 and 3.
Kill said will continue working with Chasing Dreams, his epilepsy fund through the state group.
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“The 60,000 people in Minnesota that have epilepsy know exactly what he’s going through”, she said. “I’m definitely looking forward to playing under him for these next four years”.
